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Pierre Karl Peladeau (R), former president and CEO of Quebecor Inc., gestures after being announced as the Parti Quebecois candidate for the riding of Saint-Jerome by leader Pauline Marois during a campaign stop in Saint-Jerome, Quebec, March 9, 2014. REUTERS/Christinne Muschi

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On Sunday my former boss Pierre Karl Peladeau surprised us when he announced he’d be running under the Parti Quebecois banner in the upcoming provincial election in Quebec.

So now it’s being suggested by some that PKP’s proclamation that he’s a sovereigntist will make our columnists cower or that we’ll pull our editorial punches against the Parti Quebecois in deference to him, at least until Quebecers tender their ballots April 7.

Are you kidding me?

As the head of Sun Media’s editorial department, I don’t often call my own number to address an issue. That’s because we have a stable of solid, hard-hitting, talented columnists and editorial writers to do that.

But this can only be written by me, because seven years ago I inherited the responsibility of protecting the chain’s legacy of newsroom independence.

That tradition hails back to the first editorial for the fledgling Toronto Sun in 1971, in which founding editor Peter Worthington proclaimed: "We have no sacred cows, no editorial taboos. We are masters in our own newsroom...”

It was a proud boast but an enduring one, and leading to more than a few clashes amongst editors, columnists, executives and advertisers through the years. As the chain has grown into one of Canada’s largest media organizations, this tension continues.

But when it's time to send the editorial off to press, it’s our call.

It’s difficult for some people to understand that I don’t have a hotline on my desk from head office over which PKP or other senior executives call to dictate tomorrow’s editorial position on the news of the day.

That’s not the way it works and if it did, we wouldn’t be long for this increasingly competitive and cutthroat media environment in which we operate.

In all the years I worked for him, PKP both respected and expected the independence of our newsrooms. He demonstrated that again yesterday when asked about Sun News Network’s tough position against sovereigntists.

"They will say whatever they want. It's their own opinion,” he said. “This is what media is all about."

On Sunday, PK announced he would be following his dream of being part of the movement to achieve sovereignty for the province of Quebec, and that he finally decided to enter politics to help give his three children “a country that they can be proud of.”

With all due respect, we believe that country already exists. It’s called Canada. We believe the aspirations of Quebecers, and all Canadians, are best achieved through a united Canada that includes Quebec.